Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 645 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require magnetic strips or bar codes to be placed on all driver's licenses and state civil identification cards to allow for electronic verification of the age of the licensee and detection of fraudulent cards. It also requires use of optical scanners to verify age at the time of alcohol sales and imposes penalties.

Your Committees received testimony in favor of this measure from MADD-Hawaii Youth in Action, Hawaii Dental Professionals, and an individual. Comments regarding this measure were provided by the Attorney General.

Your Committees find that it is easy for students to obtain alcohol in Hawaii with or without fraudulent identification cards. Storeowners are not doing their part to prevent underage drinking in Hawaii by selling alcohol to minors. Making it harder for minors to obtain alcohol is important in the fight to prevent underage drinking in Hawaii.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 645 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.